The Ice Princess
by Princess on Ice
Summary: It's been five years since Yuuri Katsuki retired. While he and Victor wait to meet with Yuri Plisetsky in the hopes of coaching him, they meet the girl Victor dubs "The Ice Princess." He and Yuuri agree to help her get her sister back on the ice. Yuri takes a different approach.
1. Chapter 1

Notes: Hi! So I'm just really happy to write this and glad to share it, and I'm hoping others enjoy it, too! I kind of want to focus more on Tatyanna, and have things kind of revolve around her. It's her observations and wants and desires. With Yuri, Yuuri, Victor, and her sister, Anastasia, all fitting around her. I've never done this before, so here we go!

* * *

Tatyanna Norin had waited all day for this. School had dragged on forever, and she could not stop fidgeting in the car on the drive over, and once her older sister, Anastasia, parked the car, she was out the door and hurrying up the steps of the rink, taking them two at a time.

"Slow down!" Anastasia called.

Tatyanna stopped and waited for Anastasia. She stretched out her hand towards her sister. Anastasia smiled as she caught up to her sister and took her hand.

"Sorry, Ana, but I haven't been skating in so long!"

Anastasia laughed. She could not help herself. "It's only been a couple of weeks, and that's because I've been so busy." She gave Tatyanna's hand a squeeze before allowing herself to be led into the rink.

Tatyanna did not speak again until after Anastasia had exchanged her boots for skates. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail as Anastasia slipped the skates on her feet and laced them for her. Finally, the question Anastasia had expected came.

"Are you _sure_ you don't want to skate with me? Not even just around the rink a few times?"

Anastasia shook her head. "No, you have fun."

The rink was not busy and lively, but neither were Anastasia and Tatyanna the only ones there. Several other children around Tatyanna's age were skating. A few adults were as well. A couple happened to overhear Anastasia and Tatyanna.

"Why not? Two sister skating together is one of the most pure things I've ever seen."

Tatyanna stopped on the ice to listen. Anastasia felt color rush to her cheeks but she did not speak. She only shook her head and retreated to a bench.

"What? Hey!"

His companion grabbed his sleeve. "Victor, she clearly has a reason she doesn't want to talk about. Leave her alone."

Tatyanna skated around the rink a few times, weaving between stumbling children and a couple slow skating together. Each time she passed the two men, she would glance at him. Once, she heard the taller of the two chuckle and say, "Well, look at her!"

As she skated, she was building up her courage. Not to do a trick, like the spiral she pulled off when she saw she had a great length of rink to herself. It surprised her to hear applause, and it was from the two men. Finally, she had the courage. She skated over to them and glanced over to her sister, who was typing something on her phone.

"Ana taught me that," she began through a slight pant. "She could have been the _best,_ really! She taught me to skate and everything I know."

The one called Victor looked over his shoulder to Anastasia. The other one offered his hand to Tatyanna. "Yuuri Katsuki," he said, introducing himself. He nudged the other man.

"Victor Nikiforov!" Victor squeezed her hand and added with a wink, "It's such a pleasure to meet a little ice princess!"

Tatyanna felt herself blush at the nickname. "Tatyanna Norin."

"Tell me, Tatyanna, why does your sister no longer skate?"

"She fell about a year ago and fractured her kneecap." Yuuri winced while Victor shook his head. "The doctors have told her she can skate again, but she won't. I think she's scared to."

"Hmm." Victor cupped his chin in his hand and began to tap his finger against his face. "It's a devastating injury, sure, but it's not a career ender..." His face lit up as he grabbed Yuuri by the shoulders. "Let's do it!"

"Do what?"

"Let's help get her back on the ice!"

Yuuri groaned as Tatyanna's giggles rang through his ears. "Victor, it isn't any of our business!"

Tatyanna's eagerness grew. Victor seemed like a person who could perhaps help Anastasia after all. But her curiosity also grew. "Why aren't you skating?"

Victor smiled and winked at her again, this time with the other eye. "We are waiting for a friend of ours, but he does not exactly know we're waiting for him. I'll tell you what," Victor said as he knelt to Tatyanna's height, "you keep skating, and we'll think of something to do for your sister while we wait. Deal?"

Tatyanna smiled and nodded. She returned to the ice. Each time she passed them she wanted to smile. Victor was animatedly talking to Yuuri, who, despite his reservations, started to smile as well. She would also glance at her sister, who was busy on her phone. She did not mind Anastasia not watching. The only thing that truly bothered her was Anastasia not _skating._

Though her muscles began to grow tired, she did not want to leave the rink. It was usually Ana who had to get her off the ice. When she passed Victor and Yuuri again, they were not alone. "I guess they found their friend," she said to herself.

As she spun around, she saw Anastasia rise to her feet. "Time to go," she murmured. She and Anastasia met at the exit of the rink.

"Ready to go? You did say you have homework."

Tatyanna nodded. She allowed Anastasia to remove her skates and put her boots back on. They had to walk past Victor, Yuuri, and their friend to leave. Tatyanna could see their friend was unhappy. He scowled and they heard him say, "I heard that promise before, remember?"

Victor did not seem phased by his friend's behavior. "Bye, little princess!" he called.

"So you found another pet?" the friend asked dryly.

"Bye Victor," Tatyanna said. She wondered just what the other man meant.

Anastasia did not speak until they reached the car. Once inside, seat belts fastened and the heat on, she started to laugh and shake her head in disbelief. "Leave it to my sister to befriend Victor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki." Tatyanna looked at her sister with surprise. Anastasia smiled and answered the unasked question.

"Victor and Yuuri were both professional ice skaters."

"Oh!" Tatyanna was surprised to hear that. Surely professionals would be on the ice and not waiting for a friend of theirs? But what did she know? And she was very pleased as well. Professionals would definitely know how to get back on the ice. She smiled at Anastasia, and at her secret agreement with the two men.

That night before she went to bed, Tatyanna had an idea. She made sure Anastasia was busy, then slipped her tablet into her backpack. Ana would be mad, she knew, but there were videos taken when Anastasia was skating. She wanted to show Victor and Yuuri.

The door to Anastasia's bedroom opened. Tatyanna hurried to zip her backpack and dive into bed. Anastasia did as she did every night, she tucked Tatyanna into bed and kissed her forehead. Even thought she was excited to skate the next afternoon, and even more excited to talk to Victor and Yuuri, she fell asleep almost instantly.


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: For Yuri and Yuri, I'm going to with the Yuuri spelling for Yuri K. I know the producers spell both as Yuri, and I know Yuuri is not preferred by some fans, but I am choosing to go with it for writing purposes. If that bothers anyone, my apologies.

* * *

Tatyanna returned to the rink each day, but it was a week before she was able to see Victor and Yuuri again. She waited until Anastasia was distracted before removing her tablet from her bag. But she was also going to have to wait until their finished their conversation, for their grumpy friend was also there.

"I don't need you to coach me," he said as she approached.

"You need a new coach, and here we are!"

"That doesn't mean I have to accept you." He looked over Yuuri's shoulder and added, "Here comes your ice pixie." He turned away from them as Tatyanna approached.

"Come on, Yurio, don't sulk!"

"And I told you to stop calling me that _years_ ago!" Tatyanna watched him walk off in a huff. He sat down on the bench next to Anastasia and pulled his skates from his bag. Her movements caught his attention. She had pulled a needle and yarn from her bag and had begun to make squares for a blanket for Tatyanna's bed.

As Tatyanna cut on the tablet, she heard Yurio ask, "I give you my measurements, and you can make me a sweater?"

She smiled as she heard her sister laugh and answer, "Why not?"

But it was Victor who took her attention. "What do you have there, little princess?"

"Video. Of Anastasia skating." She slid her finger along the tablet, looking through the videos and trying to find the best one. "This one!" she said eagerly. "It has that really pretty dress Ana worked so hard on, and she even put pink in her hair!"

Victor and Yuuri exchanged a smile over her head. They had expected perhaps a homemade video, not a competition level video. The video, taken almost two years prior, showed Anastasia in her homemade black and pink skating dress, her black hair given a few pale pink streaks of color to match.

The first half of her routine was filled with spins and spirals. They watched in silence, with Tatyanna feeling a bit of pride. The three had forgotten the others, but as Anastasia launched into a double axel on the video, they were joined by Yuri. He frowned, his cheeks reddening.

"You skate like that and yet you choose to sit here playing with string?!"

His outburst startled everyone. Tatyanna nearly dropped her tablet. Tatyanna flushed as red as Yuri, whereas Anastasia went a pale pink.

"It - it isn't - " She shut her mouth tightly and shook her head, then held out her hand. Now timid, Tatyanna went to her and handed her the tablet. Anastasia shut it down and slipped it into her bag. She expected Anastasia to tell her it was time to go, but she did not.

"Let's walk a little, hmm?" Victor held out his hand to Tatyanna and she took it. Meanwhile, their friend had taken the ice.

"Sorry if we've gotten you in trouble with your sister," Yuuri added as they walked around the rink.

"She'll be mad, but only for a little while," Tatyanna admitted. "She told me something when we first met. You were professional skaters. Why are you here to coach?"

Victor smiled and said, "Well, it's a very long story. Apparently, I promised Yurio that I would choreograph him a routine, and I never got around to it. And with his coach retiring, he needs a new one for the season. So I thought this would make it up to him."

"But he doesn't seem to want our help," Yuuri reminded him.

"Our little Yurio will change his mind!"

" _My name is Yuri!"_ The three stopped as he shouted. Tatyanna had to giggle, because despite his anger, and the fact that he had heard them while he skated, he managed to land a triple Salchow with no issues. Tatyanna smiled and applauded.

"Don't mind him," Victor told her warmly. "He might still be a feisty little kitten, but he's not as vicious as he once was."

"Don't remind me," Yuuri muttered. He still remembered the time Yuri spin-kicked him through a door.

Victor chuckled. Tatyanna felt like he was easy to open up to. Maybe a little pushy, but she liked that. It showed he was not likely to give up.

"Do you really think you can help Anastasia?" Her voice was eager, hopeful.

"Between her and Yurio, we might have our hands full, but I think we can manage. But something must drive her."

"Skating drives her. She's not the same since she stopped."

"A challenge, then."

"What about your parents?" Yuuri asked. His tone was gentle. Tatyanna shook her head. "So it's just you and Anastasia?"

"Yes."

Yuuri looked a little uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

Tatyanna shrugged it off. She knew neither of them meant any harm, unlike some of the children she went to school with. She stopped and watched Yuri skate. There was something enthralling about him. The way he moved was so fluid and graceful. "He's amazing," she heard herself whisper.

"That's our Yurio," Victor agreed.

 _"Yuri!"_

The three of them laughed that time. Anastasia joined them and asked, "Are you ready, Tatyanna?"

"Do we have to?"

Anastasia managed a small smile and said, "It is getting late."

"Before you go, may I do one thing?" Anastasia watched warily as Victor removed his phone from his pocket. He then picked up Tatyanna, which caused her to squeal in surprise. He held her between Yuuri and himself and took a quick selfie.

He put Tatyanna back down and thanked them. "I forgot to get one last time. If you don't mind, I'll put it on my instagram."

"No, not at all."

Victor thanked them and began to type. Tatyanna held Anastasia's hand, but she turned and waved good-bye to Yuuri, who waved back. She could not wait to see what they would come up with.


	3. Chapter 3

Notes: My updates might become sporadic. Unlike many places, winter for us means storms, not snow. But I have a rough outline, so as long as I can keep up the typing, I can post.

* * *

 _Yuuri and I met the sweetest ice princess~_

Those eight words on Victor Nikiforov's instagram page changed a lot for Tatyanna in school. People were begging for her attention, for her to sit with them, eat lunch with them. Others had brought her treats. But not all of the attention was positive.

Many were blunt autograph seekers. And others whispered bitterly behind their hands.

Most wanted to join her at the rink, begging either for a ride with Anastasia or offering to have their own parents take them.

It was lunch when she finally got to her friend, Irina. The two had been best friends for as long as they could remember. They were often at each other's houses, playing or sleeping over. Anastasia even considered her to be another younger sister.

"Hi," she said with a small smile. "Have you seen this?"

Tatyanna watched nervously. She was hoping Irina would not be a part of the hangers-on. Instead, the other girl pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket. Tatyanna read it quickly, then slowed down and read it again. Her face lit up. "An exhibition? For all ages?"

"Yes! And you _have_ to enter!"

Tatyanna smiled at the paper. She wanted to, but could she? And would Anastasia let her?

"Can I keep this?" Irina nodded. "I'll talk to Ana about it after school. Are you going to enter?"

Irina giggled behind her hand. "Me? I'll just fall."

"But these things are for fun!"

The two friends spent the rest of their lunch break giggling and talking about the event. Tatyanna even wistfully wondered if she could get Anastasia to skate. It was just for fun, and a lot of people were going to enter because of that. Maybe.

Even so, she was a little scared as Anastasia read the flyer that afternoon. Tatyanna waited patiently, her hands clasped behind her back. As the seconds ticked away, she could feel her heart drop.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes!"

Anastasia sighed, but she nodded. "If this is what you want, then you can enter. I'll have to buy you a dress and - "

"You can make one!" Tatyanna's eagerness got the best of her. "Unless... unless you don't want to."

Anastasia considered for a moment. "It would be cheaper than buying a dress, and it would certainly be unique. Your blanket might take longer to finish, but yes, I'll make you a dress."

Tatyanna giggled excitedly and flung her arms around Anastasia's waist. Anastasia even laughed and stroked her hair. "Well," she began, "do you want to pick out materials, or do you want to skate today?"

"Can we skate?" Tatyanna was excited. She felt like she would burst if she did not share this with someone.

Anastasia chuckled and gave Tatyanna's hair one more stroke. " _You_ can skate," she told her sister. "I'll see what I can do about your costume."

It turned out that Victor and Yuuri were just as thrilled for her. Yuri, not so much. "Now I guess you're training the pixie?" he muttered before he left the three of them together.

"You don't have to coach me," Tatyanna said quickly. "I just wanted to tell you."

"How about a few pointers?" Victor left her and Yuuri but returned quickly with a pair of skates for himself and a pair for Yuuri. Victor and Yuuri led her on the ice. Tatyanna was aware of Yuri taking his chance to watch them.

The first thing Victor asked surprised and scared her. "Have you ever done any jumps?"

"No, never, Anastasia never taught me any."

Yuuri placed his hand on Victor's arm. "Let's work up to those. How about you show us what you do know?"

Tatyanna nodded and began to skate. She was more aware of Yuri watching her than anyone else. She did a couple of spins, ending with a scratch spin, and stopped to catch her breath. While she stopped, Victor skated to her and grabbed her hand. She took it and allowed him to skate her around the rink.

"Your movement needs to be more fluid," he told her. "But you have the beginning of a great skater."

"Really?" Tatyanna was aware he was skating slow to keep her at a similar pace. She had been a little frightened when he first took her hand, but now she smiled at him. As they skated, she glanced over to Yuri, who had his head down, his blond hair in his face.

Anastasia was on her phone, but she would glance at the ice every now and then. She was sorting through images, looking for ideas on what type of dress Tatyanna would want. Of course, it was all up to her in the end. But inspiration would not hurt.

There was a chirp from her phone. Anastasia groaned as the battery alerted her to only twenty percent remaining. She looked around and saw an outlet. Surely no one would mind if she used it? She fished into her bag and pulled out the phone charger.

She rose from her seat and plugged the charger into the phone as she walked. When she passed Yuri, he stopped her in her tracks. He came up next to her and placed his hand on the wall in front of her, barring her way past with his arm.

"Hey. I've been doing some thinking since I saw you skate in that video. I want to make a deal with you, and not like something your sister will come up with, like stealing your phone and getting you to skate to get it back."

Despite her surprise, Anastasia laughed. That _did_ sound like her little sister.

"This city wide exhibition, if you agree to skate in it, I'll be your partner."

"You'll skate pair with me? A professional skater in a city event? But why?"

Yuri grinned and looked over his shoulder at the ice. "Well, Victor always said to surprise the audience. And I've never skated with anyone else before. Won't that be a surprise?" He pressed a piece of paper into her hand. "The rink I train at has been under renovations. It should be done by the end of the week. But only come if you're serious."


	4. Chapter 4

Notes: I just wanted to thank you guys so much for reading this. I am very pleased with how the interest in it has been!

* * *

Anastasia had been acting odd. She had become quiet and withdrawn. And she had not taken Tatyanna to the rink to skate, though they did go together to look at fabric.

Tatyanna had a look in mind, but she was afraid to say it to her sister. She ran her hand over a swatch of silky material, black as night. She looked to Anastasia to see if she had found. She watched her rub a rich red fabric between her fingers. Her expression was almost wistful.

"Ana?" Anastasia jumped slightly as he sister approached. "I kind of like this." She grabbed her hand and lead her to the black.

"You really like this?"

"I do! And... can we add some pink to it as well?"

Anastasia smiled. She was flattered, but she had to ask, "Don't you want to try something your own style?"

"We can make it my own style, like maybe have the skirt pink?"

Anastasia began collecting fabric. "If that's what you really want. But no coloring your hair."

Tatyanna was only a little disappointed. She hung back as Anastasia paid for the materials. Her attention was caught by the red fabric Anastasia seemed so enamored with. She stroked it. No wonder Anastasia liked it. It was so smooth to the touch.

"Coming?"

Tatyanna smiled and nodded. "Are we going skating today?"

"Well..." Anastasia did not give her a direct answer. Tatyanna watched out the window as familiar scenery passed. Her face fell as they drove past the rink where she skated. She wanted to ask why she would not be skating, but she chose to remain quiet and wait.

When Anastasia finally stopped the car in the parking lot of another rink, Tatyanna could not help but ask, "What are we doing here?"

"Hmm?" Her sister was checking a scrap of paper in her hand. "Oh, it's - I thought you would want a change of venue."

She held Anastasia's hand as the two of them walked up the steps. Tatyanna grip grew tighter as they entered the building. It was not as warm or inviting as her home rink. And at first, she thought there was no one else there. Then she heard a grunt and a thud as someone landed on the ice after jumping.

It was Yurio. No, she corrected herself, his name was also Yuri. Yuuri's sister had given him the nickname Yurio, according to Yuuri himself, and it had kind of stuck, to Yuri's dismay.

He started into a spin, but caught sight of them midspin. He completed his rotation, then skated over to them.

"So, you actually chose to come?" He looked down at Tatyanna and added, "I hope you don't intend for me to skate with your sister."

"No," Anastasia said faintly. "I came because you told me to."

"Ah." He said no more until Anastasia had removed her skates from her bag and put them on. Tatyanna looked from one adult to the other, both confused and excited. It seemed like hours for Anastasia to lace her skates.

"Are you going to just sit there?"

"No," Anastasia said slowly. It was an odd feeling. She had been skating most of her life, but it had been over a year since she had worn skates. Anastasia feared it would take some time to get used to again.

She followed Yuri out onto the ice. Tatyanna held her breath. She had hoped that Anastasia would get back on the ice and be as amazing as she was, but it was a silly thought. She covered her mouth with her hands as Anastasia wobbled. She could see the adults exchanging words, but she could not hear them.

She watched Yuri cross his arms over his chest and gesture to Anastasia. She began to skate, timidly, her arms out for balance.

"She's scared to fall," Tatyanna realized.

Despite that fear, Anastasia did not. As she skated, and wobbled occasionally, around the rink, Yuri would make comments. Tatyanna heard him stop her. He skated to her and began adjusting her body. He tilted her chin, straightened her back, and forced her to put her arms down.

"Do it with confidence!" he shouted as he skated back to the center of the rink to watch her.

Her movements became more sure and confident. Tatyanna smiled and wanted to clap, though she feared Yuri would snap at her. It appeared to her that he had forgotten she was there.

As Yuri half coaxed, half commanded her to increase speed and try spirals, Tatyanna was hit by an idea. She rummaged around in Anastasia's bag. For a moment, she feared she had her phone on her, but it was zipped away into a side pocket.

She removed it and checked the battery life. It was almost three quarters charged. She turned on the camera and began to record.

" _Arabesque!"_ Yuri called.

Anastasia wobbled only a fraction as she extended her leg into the spiral position as ordered. She glided smoothly across the ice, and for a brief second, Tatyanna thought she saw Yuri smile. She hurried to stop the recording and save the video in case one of them spotted her, but before she returned her phone to Anastasia's bag, she found Victor on instagram and sent the video.

By the time she looked up after returning the phone, Yuri was skating backwards, watching Anastasia keep up with him and calling out spirals as he did. It was a teaching method Tatyanna never thought possible, but it did seem to work.

Yuri worked her hard. By the time he told her to stop for the day, she was pink cheeked and panting.

"I expect you back every afternoon," he told her. She only nodded her agreement. As she sat to remove her skates, Tatyanna threw her arms around her neck. Anastasia sighed and hugged back for a moment.

"I'm so happy!" Tatyanna squealed.

Anastasia let out a breathy laugh and said, "Me, too."


	5. Chapter 5

Notes: I feel like this might be a bit shorter than I want, but I have begun to toy with the idea of a sequel.

* * *

"Jump."

"I can't!"

" _Jump!"_

 _"I can't!"_

Tatyanna sat and watched Anastasia and Yuri bicker on the ice. She sighed heavily. Though Anastasia had taken her skating earlier, before meeting with Yuri, she had not been skating as much as she had hoped. She needed to practice. On the plus side, her costume had been coming along nicely. It was simple, but cute.

She thought of skating with Ana and Yuri, but it would just put her in the way. Her sister had been doing well, and even seemed somewhat happier at home, but jumps she just would not budge on.

There was a time when she held her breath. It had looked to her like Anastasia was going to walk away then and there, but Yuri had managed to keep her on the ice.

 _"Take it easy, Yurio!"_

Yuri frowned and looked towards the voice. Tatyanna smiled, bounced off the bench she had been waiting on, and hugged Victor tightly. Surprise flashed across his face for a brief instant, but it turned into a warm smile. "I'm glad to see you, too, little princess."

She smiled. The nickname Victor had given her made her very happy. "I missed you and Yuuri, but Ana has been coming here."

"It is nice to see her skating again," Victor agreed. He let her go as Yuri skated in their direction.

"Hey, this isn't the place for you to train your pixie!" He scowled at Victor, who continued to smile warmly at him. "I have my own work to tend to, and I don't need a little kid, or her, underfoot."

Victor only chuckled. "Then maybe I can give you a pointer? As a coach, you have to guide carefully, not force someone to do something they do not feel confident in doing."

"I am not coaching." Yuri's voice was flat, but his expression was angry. "I still have several years on the ice ahead of me, and I am not going to give up like you."

Tatyanna looked from Victor to Yuri, then back again. Victor's smile wavered for a second or two, then he nodded and said, "I see the kitten still has claws. That's good." He placed his hand on Tatyanna's shoulder and said, "Since you two have hit a wall, then let me borrow the ice for a little while. Tomorrow, if it is all right with Anastasia, of course, I will take Tatyanna to the public rink."

Yuri threw his hands in the air and skated off. Tatyanna could not help but giggle. For some reason she did not know, Victor really could push Yuri's buttons. "You would take me skating?"

"Of course! If you and your sister both plan to skate this exhibition, then you both need to train. And it looks like Yuri won't be any help to _you,_ so Yuuri and I will."

"Where is Yuuri?"

"He had a few errands to run, but you'll see him tomorrow."

"You sound like it's a done deal with Ana."

"I feel like she trusts me." They shared a laugh and donned their skates. Once they were on, Victor's tone became serious. "Now, how do _you_ feel about jumps?"

Tatyanna looked at the floor and said, "I'm excited, but kind of scared to try."

"Don't be scared," Victor told her as they got on the ice. "I'm here. And your sister and Yurio are right there. You will be fine. Have you ever tried even a bunny hop?" Tatyanna shook her head. "Watch." As Victor demonstrated the beginner's move, she started to giggle.

"I see why it's called that!"

"It's simple, come on, try it!"

Tatyanna's giggled echoed in the nearly empty building. Anastasia looked up and smiled. To her surprise, Yuri leaned against the wall behind her and watched Victor and Tatyanna. For a while, he was silent, but when he spoke, it was with a gentle manner.

"Why don't you jump? You do know when you fall, you have to get back up, don't you?"

Anastasia looked at him, surprised by the tone of voice. She looked away to hide the sudden tears that sprang up. "Nobody was there to help me up," she admitted.

Yuri was glad she had turned away. His expression had softened immensely. "No parents, no coaches? Surely there was someone - "

"No. My coach had six students, she could not be bothered to coddle one. I had Tatyanna, but she's a little kid. Our father passed away a couple of years ago."

"What about your mom?"

"The woman who calls herself our mother was American. She returned to the United States after Tatyanna's birth. She didn't like it here. Or being a parent, I suppose."

Yuri sat down on the bench by her. "I was mostly taken care of by my grandfather. My mom, she had no time for me. So he took over the role of mother, as well as being my grandfather. I know how you feel."

There was a squeal from Tatyanna, which broke the moment for them. The two looked up as Victor performed a sequence of jumps that left Tatyanna applauding. "Oh!" Anastasia reached into her bag and pulled out her phone, "that reminds me..." she broke off and began sorting through her images. "I'm almost done with Tatyanna's costume. Is that something we need to discuss?"

She and Yuri exchanged numbers. He was not going to admit it, but the idea of her making them costumes was something he found endearing. They agreed he would go to their apartment the following day and discuss costume ideas.


	6. Chapter 6

Notes: I apologize for the shortness of the last chapter. I hope this one is longer.

* * *

Tatyanna was pink cheeked and happy. Victor and Yuuri had been waiting for her after school, having come to an agreement with Anastasia that they could train her. Anastasia had said it was not fair to focus just on working with Yurio and not allowed Tatyanna to skate as well.

And, to make her even more excited, the two had agreed to come up with a routine for her. They would have to teach her a few moves, but they were all agreeing on something fun, exciting, but not too challenging.

She could not _wait_ to tell Ana! Victor parked in front of their apartment building and turned to her looking almost as happy as she had felt. She smiled at him and grabbed her backpack from the seat beside her.

"Is your sister home?" Yuuri asked. "I don't think we should leave you by yourself if she isn't."

"Yes, there's her car. Do you want to come in?"

The second she asked, Tatyanna felt a bit of regret. The apartment was small, and sometimes a little cluttered. But surely Anastasia would not mind if they came in, right?

"Just for a minute," Victor said. He took the keys from the ignition, pocketed them, and got out. Yuuri opened Tatyanna's door for her, she smiled at him and thanked him as she took the apartment key from the pocket of her backpack.

They followed her up to the third floor. Victor smiled at Yuuri over her head as she unlocked the door to her apartment. She was so cute, and had been giving Victor the idea of having a child. "Ana?" she called. "I'm here, and I brought guests!"

She received no answer. She looked to Victor and Yuuri in confusion. She deposited her backpack on the couch and wandered through the small set of rooms. She finally found Anastasia in what had become known to them as her sewing room. She did not answer immediately because she had been taking Yurio's measurements.

Tatyanna, not noticing how busy Anastasia was, happily blurted out, "You're making costumes for you and Yurio?! Amazing!"

Both Yuri and Anastasia jumped. Yurio's cheeks flushed, which Victor and Yuuri were quick to tease him about, and Anastasia dropped her measuring tape. "Well, we were talking about it," she began sheepishly.

"Now you can get that pretty red you want!"

"Is it as red as Yurio's face?" Victor asked with a smirk. Yuuri began to cough to hide his laughter.

"You two are children," Yuri muttered to himself.

"Come on, Yurio, it's all in good fun."

Stalking angrily out of the room would mean having to pass between them. Yuri pushed some sketchpads off of a chair and sat down and sulked instead.

"Be careful with those," Anastasia began. "Last night, I could not sleep and so I sketched out a few ideas."

Yuri reached down and picked up the top book. Yuuri and Victor hurried over to the chair and squeezed together behind him. "Oh, wow!" Victor's eyes sparkled.

"These are incredible, Anastasia," Yuuri said, voicing his agreement with Victor. They both noticed the dominant color of the sketches was always red. That red fabric stuck with her.

"Thank you," she said with a faint smile. "I'm not sure if you'll like any, Yuri. If you don't, I can surely come up with something you do."

"They're pretty good," Yuri admitted. One or two really stuck out to him. He would have loved an animal print, but none of the designs had any. That did not matter. The matching style of the male and female sketches was what really struck him. He would be _pair skating._ Something he had never done before.

"Could you design us matching jackets when we become Yurio's coach?" Victor reached down and tousled Yuri's hair.

"I never said you could coach me!" He shook his messy hair out of his face.

Tatyanna began to bounce on her toes. "They're going to make a routine for me, Ana!"

"That's incredible!" Anastasia pulled Tatyanna in a hug and smiled at Victor and Yuuri over her sister. "Thank you," she added. "I can't say it enough..."

"It's no problem!" Yuuri smiled back.

"How about the five of us go out to dinner?" Victor asked.

Anastasia was surprised by the offer. It had been a very long time since she and Tatyanna had gone out to eat. "I should probably stay here, I've got some much to do and so little time."

Victor seemed a little let down, but then he clapped his hands and, struck with the idea, made another offer. "Then how about Yuuri and I cook?"

"Please?" Tatyanna added, giving her brightest smile to her sister.

Anastasia wanted to look to someone for help, but there was no one. "I suppose," she said slowly. "As long as I don't have to clean afterwards."

"I'm full service," Victor promised. He, Yuuri, and Tatyanna went into the kitchen to begin dinner preparations.

Anastasia picked up her long forgotten tape measure. Yuri rose to his feet and placed her sketchbook on the table that took up the length of the wall behind her. "This one," he said, pointing to the specific page. "This one stands out to me."

Anastasia smiled. "That one is my favorite," she admitted. She ran her hands lovingly over the sketch. "I'll have to pick up the fabric in the morning. And I'll get started right away."

As she and Yuri made plans for their costumes, the scents of cooking food, and the banging of pots and pans, began to drift through the small apartment. They were still talking of costumes and routines by the time Yuuri came to tell them it was time to eat.

The small kitchen was busy and happy that night. Even Yuri, who began the meal pouting, lightened up as the conversation went on. It was as though the five of them had become one big, dysfunctional family.


	7. Chapter 7

Notes: I'm very pleasantly surprised by the reactions from this, thank you, everyone!

* * *

Tatyanna noticed one thing as the exhibition drew closer and closer: there were more and more people and much more activity around town because of it. It was Yuuri who explained it to her.

"Word has gotten out that Yurio will be skating. His fans have come in droves to see it. Some are..." he paused to search for the right words to say, "not going to be very happy he's pair skating."

"But why? If they love him, won't they love seeing him skate?"

Victor chuckled and mussed her hair. "Because, little princess, fans can be a little protective of the people they idolize. These fangirls, they would rather be the ones on the ice with Yuri, which makes them a bit jealous of your sister."

She looked up at Victor through a screen of her hair. "They aren't going to be mean to Anastasia, are they?"

"Maybe yell things, but nothing to worry your head about. They'll forget all about this in time."

The thought had not occurred to her. She bit her lip and looked down to the ice below her feet. "But Yurio wanted to skate with Ana, not the other way around!"

"It doesn't matter." Yuuri's voice was kind and gentle. "Hasn't there ever been a celebrity you wanted to pay you attention?"

Tatyanna blushed. Though she was only nine, she did have a small crush on a pop star. His posters decorated her walls and there was even a picture of him held up by a magnet in her locker at school. Last Christmas, Anastasia surprised her with tickets to a show, in which he would pull a girl from the audience at the end to sing one of his sweetest love songs to.

She had been bitter about it for weeks when he chose another girl.

"I think I understand," she said softly. Victor and Yuuri exchanged smiles over her head. "And I'll try not to let it bother me."

"There's no doubt in my mind that Anastasia can't handle them," Yuuri added. He decided it was time to change the subject. "Do you want to show us that double axel?"

Tatyanna's eye lit up. "Yes!" she said eagerly. She felt somewhat ashamed of her timid feelings towards jumping. Now that Yuuri and Victor had taught her, jumps were all she wanted to do. Even though she knew there had to be more to a routine than jumps.

They watched as she performed the jump, and both cheered as she landed it. Her cheeks flushed pink with happiness and pride.

"I can't wait," she began as she continued along the ice, "even if I'm a bit nervous."

"You'll do wonderfully," Victor said. He grabbed Yuuri's shoulder with glee as she started into a spiral. "Yuuri and I will be right there, and so will Anastasia and Yurio."

"She finished my dress," Tatyanna announced. She wobbled a little bit quickly regained her balance. "And I think she's finished Yurio's costume, but she's still working on hers."

"Oh?" Victor asked, his eyes alight with curiosity. "Which costume did they go with?"

His curiosity deflated as Tatyanna shrugged. "I don't know, she won't show me. All I know is she bought that red fabric she loves, and that doesn't say anything." Victor agreed. Red was in nearly every design he saw.

"Well, now I need to know," he muttered to himself. Yuuri elbowed him.

"Not knowing won't kill you."

"It's killing _me!"_ Tatyanna admitted. She started skating circles around them. "I live with her and even I don't know. I know Yurio picked it out, so whatever it is, he likes it."

A sudden commotion started her, causing Tatyanna to lose her balance and fall. Yuuri was quick to pick her up. "Why don't we leave?" he asked her softly.

A group of women were making a fuss by the door to a flustered employee. He was trying to get them to leave peacefully and orderly, but they were not listening. From what Tatyanna could hear, they seemed to think, or hope, that Yurio was training at the rink.

"Get her out, I'll meet you outside." Victor hurried over to the group in an effort to diffuse things.

Yuuri held Tatyanna's hand, keeping her close as they left the rink. Victor's presence seemed to make the situation worse, as the flock of fans were now _positive_ Yurio had to be inside, since Victor was around. Victor, being his cheerful self, corrected them, saying that he was not Yurio's coach _yet,_ and that Yurio was training at a different rink entirely.

She and Yuuri waited for him on a bench. Tatyanna shoved her skates, which she had slipped off in a hurry, into her bag. "Do you think Yurio will let Victor coach him?" she asked.

Yuuri laughed nervously. "I can't really say. Yuri's always been a little... difficult. But it does look like Victor is wearing him down. He has calmed down a little from when I first met him. Years ago, I know he would have shot Victor down, but now I'm not so sure he would."

Victor jogged up to them, smiling and looking pleased with himself. "Looks like I solved that problem!" The three of them started to walk down the road. Victor had to park further away from the rink that day, but the short walk was no problem. It was a bit unnerving to Tatyanna seeing pop up kiosks, but they would soon be gone.

As Victor pulled into a parking space at Tatyanna's home, they say Anastasia and Yurio standing by her car, both of them looking furious. Anastasia's sweater had been pulled down her shoulder and both of them were sporting messy hairstyles. " - going to need to find a new room," Yuri was saying.

"Are they always this crazy?"

"Ah, you, too?" Victor asked as Anastasia scowled and pulled at her sweater. "Some of your fans were looking for you, Yurio."

"And some found us," Yuri muttered.

"Are you OK?" Tatyanna asked. Her eyes were wide and her hand covered her mouth in shock.

"I'm fine, though I need a new sweater. We managed to hide from them in a coffee shop." She swept a stray lock of black hair from her face. "At least the security at the rink is good."

"You can stay with us, Yurio," Victor offered. "We've got a nice rental - "

"Thinking ahead, are you?" Yuri asked with a frown. He then let out a loud groan and said, "Fine. At least until I can find somewhere to stay." He bade Anastasia and Tatyanna good night and joined Victor and Yuuri.

"Let's get you inside," Anastasia said to her sister after they waved at the passing car. "I don't know about you, but that running made me hungry."

Tatyanna giggled and nodded. These past few weeks had become exciting. And even more exciting, they would soon skate!


	8. Chapter 8

Notes: Probably my longest chapter to date. One more after this, a short epilogue. I may write the sequel that has been on my mind as well.

* * *

The time had come and the rink was buzzing. There were more people, a _lot_ more people, than Tatyanna expected. Many of them were there to catch a glimpse of Yurio. Cat ear headbands and signs were _everywhere._

Anastasia had whisked her away to help her change into her pink and black dress. She had allowed Anastasia to do a row of sequins diagonally across the front. When she was dressed, Anastasia smoothed down the pink skirt. She then sat Tatyanna down. It was easier to pull her hair up into a high ponytail that way. Then, to Tatyanna's surprise, she pulled a can out of her bag. "Hold still," she said. She covered Tatyanna's eyes with her hands and began to spray glitter in Tatyanna's hair.

Tatyanna, who had been denied the request for makeup by her sister, was pleased. "Thank you!" She looked in the mirror and tilted her head this way and that, enjoying the sparkles the light made in her hair.

Anastasia laughed, but her heart was not in it. She nodded and said, "Go find Victor and Yuuri. I'll be there in a minute."

She found Victor and Yuuri quickly. Both were talking in low voices, and they appeared very wistful. When Victor saw her, he smiled. "Now you truly look like a princess." She smiled and curtsied for him.

"You'll be up in a little while," Yuuri told her. He showed the schedule to her and pointed it out. "It looks like they want to make a spectacle of Yuri and Anastasia, they're the last two to skate."

Even at her age, Tatyanna understood what that meant. Save the best for last, and the best was a professional in a sea of amateurs. She knew Anastasia would not like that.

"Where's your sister?"

Tatyanna looked up as Yurio joined then. She could not help but squeal in surprise. The costumes he had chosen had been the butterfly ones Anastasia had done in the middle of the night. His costume was mostly white, though a bold diagonal of red went from his right shoulder to his left thigh. Picked out in gems across the red was a swarm of butterflies.

His long hair had been pulled from his face in a ponytail, with a few tendrils of blond left out to frame his face.

"You look _adorable!"_ Victor shouted. Yuri sulked as Victor took out his phone and snapped a picture.

"Don't post that online!"

Victor did it anyway.

"Here I am," Anastasia said a bit breathlessly as she hurried to them. Her dress was more elaborate than her sister's. The bodice was red with gem butterflies fluttering up it. The skirt was white with a red hem. Her makeup was simple and natural, but body glitter added a little sparkle. Her hair had been pulled back similar to Yurio's.

Victor let out an excited cry. He grabbed a surprised Anastasia and annoyed Yuri and managed to get a selfie with the two of them. He spent several minutes taking pictures of the trio so he could pick and choose the best shots. The posts of his not only blew up his phone, but social media as well.

Yuuri took a more calm approach. "You did a great job on the costumes, Anastasia." She blushed and thanked him. "Are you ready?"

"To be honest, I feel sick."

"Throw up all you want after we skate." To Tatyanna, Yurio's remark sounded mean. Maybe it was not mean to be, as Anastasia did not seem to mind.

She was right in her in guess that Anastasia would not like being a part of the grand finale. She and Yurio stepped away to speak privately. Tatyanna looked at her mentors and smiled. She was still nervous and excited, but now she was worried about Anastasia.

"You'll all do great," Yuuri promised her. "Anastasia just has to get past her nerves."

Tatyanna agreed. And she had to get past her own nerves. She found herself watching her peers, and was impressed by some of their abilities. Yuuri and Victor joined her in cheering those who skated, whether they were great or had stumbles. Anastasia and Yurio rejoined them. Anastasia was pensive, while Yurio frowned and leaned over the rink wall as he watched.

As the event was for all ages and skill levels, there were a lot of stumbles. Many people took them in good hearted stride. Some laughed it off. Others were crushed. Tatyanna grew more excited, and nervous, as her time grew near. When her name was announced, Victor and Yuuri cheered for her and heaped her with words of encouragement.

She skated out on the ice and waited for her music to start. It was in that moment, once the first beats of the upbeat and energetic song Victor had chosen for her hit, that something happened. The lights, the music, the dress, and the cheers of the crowd are blended together and made her realize this was what she wanted to do with her life. Feeling a deep sense of euphoria, she started her routine. She was not aware of the announcer saying the routine was choreographed by Victor Nikiforov. Nor was she aware of the cheers rising from the crowd at his name.

It was her and her skates and the ice. Her smile was genuine, and even as she missed a jump, stumbling and tumbling to the ice, it did not falter. She had found her passion! She picked herself up and finished her routine with no more errors. She was still grinning as she joined her friends and family off the rink.

"Ana," she called over Victor's praise, "Ana, I want to skate!"

Anastasia looked unsure. She was pale, Tatyanna had noticed, and looked upset about the fall she had taken. "I'm fine, Ana," she insisted. "Please, can I?"

"I - I don't know..." she looked around for help, but Victor and Yuuri were encouraging. Even Yurio did not seem to be on her side. "We... will talk about it later. Are you _sure_ you're not hurt?"

What surprised Tatyanna even more was Victor and Yurio. Victor once again tried to press the topic of coaching. While everyone expected a firm 'no' from Yurio, he rolled his eyes and said, "I guess, if you can do that for the pixie, what can you do for me?"

Victor laughed and picked up Yurio, who demanded that Victor " _Put me down!"_ Yuuri also grinned and said how much he was looking forward to working with Yurio again. Yurio sulked and muttered, but he didn't seem one hundred percent angry.

Tatyanna could not let go of her glee. She spent a good portion of the exhibition talking about how she felt and how badly she wanted to skate. Victor, Yuuri, and Yurio all understood how she felt. Even Anastasia did, though she would not admit it.

Finally, to the audience's delight, Yuri Plisetsky and Anastasia Norin would take the ice. Tatyanna giggled as Yurio pulled her onto the ice as Anastasia lamented, "What did I get myself into?"

There was a mingle of cheers and boos from the crowd. Many of the boos came from young women who were clearly fans of Yuri. The crowd quieted as the music started. It was a slower, more emotional piece. Tatyanna watched in awe as Yurio and Anastasia moved in unison with each other. Each movement was mirrored as they spiraled together. Her breath caught as Yurio lifted Anastasia.

Over her head, Victor nudged Yuuri. "I think our feisty little kitten has grown up a little, don't you?"

The first jump was frightening for both sisters. Tatyanna saw Yurio's mouth move as he asked if Anastasia was ready. Tatyanna did not know her answer, but Yurio assisted Anastasia in a throw jump. She landed safely, and a look of surprise fluttered across her face. Only those close to the ice saw it.

They launched into a combination of side by side jumps and from where Tatyanna sat, it was flawless. She squealed and applauded. Though she knew there were many technical elements in their routine, the lifts were her favorite. Yurio made them look _effortless._

As the routine ended, both skaters were out of breath. Yurio took her hand as the applause began and said something. Anastasia nodded and both dropped into bows. After raising, Yurio kept hold of her hand as they skated off the ice.

Anastasia, her cheeks flushed, let out a laugh and threw her arms around Yuri's neck. "Thank you," she whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

Notes: I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter! And I'm very thankful for the reviews and watches during this! This one is meant to serve as an epilogue, so it's probably on the short side.

* * *

Anastasia and Tatyanna had been sitting around doing nothing nearly a week after the exhibition when Anastasia's phone went off. Tatyanna was curious, but Anastasia grabbed it off the table before Tatyanna could see who it was from. Anastasia looked both confused and happy by the text.

"Grab your coat," she told her sister as she reached for her car keys.

"Where are we going?" Tatyanna asked.

"You'll see."

Tatyanna watched their surroundings as Anastasia drove what had become a familiar route. "Did Yurio text you?"

"Mm-hmm."

Tatyanna stifled a giggle. "You seem happy about that," she began. She was teasing, of course, but it did seem true.

Anastasia did not acknowledge the teasing of her sister. She said nothing else until after they had parked. "Wow, seems almost deserted, doesn't it?" Crowds of screaming fans had flanked the rink for days after the event, mostly young women hoping to catch a glimpse of Yuri. He had been able to get in and out without notice many times. The chase must have worn off for them.

In fact, the only car other than theirs belonged to Victor.

Tatyanna waited for Anastasia and together they entered the rink. Yuuri was on the ice, and Victor seemed impatient. Yurio sat on a chair near the ice and Victor was urging him onto the rink. When the door creaked as it was opened, he looked up. Then he smiled.

"Hey," he called, "coming to join us?"

Tatyanna smiled and went to the ice. She greeted Victor warmly and waved to Yuuri. Yurio, wearing all black other than his jacket, stuffed his phone in his pocket and walked past her to Anastasia.

"I wanted to ask a favor of you." He heaved a heavy sigh as though the words were a little hard to form. "Since I have those two as coaches," he jerked his head towards Victor and Yuuri, "I wanted to ask... would you make my costumes for this upcoming season?"

Anastasia looked surprised. Not only that, Victor, Yuuri, and Tatyanna overheard the question as well, despite Yuri's attempts to make it quiet. "Is that what you want?" she asked.

"Just say yes!"

Yuri glared over his shoulders at Victor and Tatyanna, who had shouted that at the same time. Then he nodded. "Yeah, you do great work."

He held out his hand and Anastasia shook it. "It's a deal, then." She smiled and he smiled in return.

He held her hand a bit longer, squeezed it, and said, "Can we go over designs later this week? Over dinner? I need to get to the task masters."

Anastasia agreed, barely aware of what she was saying. Then she watched Yuri put on his skates and hit the ice. With a sigh, she agreed with Tatyanna that it wouldn't hurt to stay and watch for a little while.


End file.
